Soccer Vs. American Football

[norompanlasolas]

a few words...

football is the most played and watched sport worlwide, the one with the simpler and the most complex rules. the one where you dont have to have a certain height, physiche or stamina to play. a game where talented players can achieve plays that last on forever in the minds of people, capturing their imaginations. where you just need a football and nothing more to play, and not some expensive garments, or appliances or even prepared pitches. you can play it in the street, dirt, mud, grass, sand, indoors, outdoors, you can play it everywhere. it is played by the poor child in africa with no shoes and just an illusion of someday playing in a big club, and by the rich kid in a private college in england... and they both share the same dream.

it is a sport of binding, a sport that brings people and nations together (the 2 koreas have just played a game that was dubbed "the game of peace"). a game that has evolved in more than 150 years in more than just a game. a religion, an obsession. books have been written by brilliant writers and poets and even they cannot grasp the inmensity, the purity, that exists in a little boy kicking a ball around, just for fun.

football is, and will be for all times "the most beautiful sport on earth"

[Ar-Cunin]

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: a few words... football is the most played and watched sport worlwide, the one with the simpler and the most complex rules. the one where you dont have to have a certain height, physiche or stamina to play. a game where talented players can achieve plays that last on forever in the minds of people, capturing their imaginations. where you just need a football and nothing more to play, and not some expensive garments, or appliances or even prepared pitches. you can play it in the street, dirt, mud, grass, sand, indoors, outdoors, you can play it everywhere. it is played by the poor child in africa with no shoes and just an illusion of someday playing in a big club, and by the rich kid in a private college in england... and they both share the same dream. it is a sport of binding, a sport that brings people and nations together (the 2 koreas have just played a game that was dubbed "the game of peace"). a game that has evolved in more than 150 years in more than just a game. a religion, an obsession. books have been written by brilliant writers and poets and even they cannot grasp the inmensity, the purity, that exists in a little boy kicking a ball around, just for fun. football is, and will be for all times "the most beautiful sport on earth"

HEAR HEAR! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Thoran]

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: a few words... football is the most played and watched sport worlwide, the one with the simpler and the most complex rules. the one where you dont have to have a certain height, physiche or stamina to play. a game where talented players can achieve plays that last on forever in the minds of people, capturing their imaginations. where you just need a football and nothing more to play, and not some expensive garments, or appliances or even prepared pitches. you can play it in the street, dirt, mud, grass, sand, indoors, outdoors, you can play it everywhere. it is played by the poor child in africa with no shoes and just an illusion of someday playing in a big club, and by the rich kid in a private college in england... and they both share the same dream. it is a sport of binding, a sport that brings people and nations together (the 2 koreas have just played a game that was dubbed "the game of peace"). a game that has evolved in more than 150 years in more than just a game. a religion, an obsession. books have been written by brilliant writers and poets and even they cannot grasp the inmensity, the purity, that exists in a little boy kicking a ball around, just for fun. football is, and will be for all times "the most beautiful sport on earth"

LOL,change the global focus to the US and this statement (darn near verbatem) could just as accurately describe american football. Sports are variations on a theme and to say that one is better than another is to communicate a lack of understanding of the very notion of team sports.

football is the most played and watched sport in America, the one with either simple or complex rules. the one where you dont have to have a certain height, physiche or stamina to play. a game where talented players can achieve plays that last on forever in the minds of people, capturing their imaginations. where you just need a football and nothing more to play, and not some expensive garments, or appliances or even prepared pitches. you can play it in the street, dirt, mud, grass, sand, indoors, outdoors, you can play it everywhere. it is played by the poor child in Tulsa with no shoes and just an illusion of someday playing in a big club, and by the rich kid in a private college in Boston... and they both share the same dream. it is a sport of binding, a sport that brings people and places together. a game that has evolved in more than 133 years in more than just a game. a religion, an obsession. books have been written by brilliant writers and poets and even they cannot grasp the inmensity, the purity, that exists in a little boy kicking a ball around, just for fun. football is, and will be for all times "the most beautiful sport on earth"

Professional level sports (and more and more college sports also) are all businesses, and the express goal of those businesses is to remove cash from the pockets of those willing to get sucked into the illusion of excitement and suspense that they create. They can also be effectively utilized as a political tool... "distract the masses from their own misery" sort of stuff. Once upon a time there WAS a religous purpose to the games... but now that the losing team isn't sacrificed anymore I think they've lost their religous edge. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I've always been more interested in playing sports than watching them, part of the reason I sound so cynical is because watching sports makes me feel MANIPULATED, and I HATE that feeling. They attempt to create a sense of excitement but I personally have ZERO reason to be excited, the outcome of a game has no affect on my life whatsoever... but the more excitement they can drum up for their sport, the more they can charge at the gates.

[ 09-09-2002, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: Thoran ]

[caleb]

Quiet down im trying to watch Rugby [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[norompanlasolas]

in response to thoran...

obviously you dont know the sport very well. of course, if you play with words you can even make the pope look agile or bush look intelligent, but that is not the case, is it? for example:

- american football has really complex rules and is stopped all the time (no comparison with real football, which flows)
- dont have to have a certain height, phsyique or stamina to play american football... yeah right...
- dont need expensive garments to play it? come ooon!

and i could go on and on. plus, you said it yourself... am foot may be the most popular sport in "america" (the us). real football is the most popular sport in the "world" (planet earth).

[johnny]

Everyone, bow down to "king football".

[Warhammer]

Rugby and Aussie football are both more entertaining and funnier than football / American football.

[johnny]

Originally posted by Warhammer: Rugby and Aussie football are both more entertaining and funnier than football / American football.

Billions of people don't agree with you.

[Thoran]

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: in response to thoran... obviously you dont know the sport very well. of course, if you play with words you can even make the pope look agile or bush look intelligent, but that is not the case, is it? for example: - american football has really complex rules and is stopped all the time (no comparison with real football, which flows) - dont have to have a certain height, phsyique or stamina to play american football... yeah right... - dont need expensive garments to play it? come ooon!

Incorrect... American football rules CAN be complex or simple, depending on who's applying them... backyard football is a fairly straightforward game. Game stoppage puts the emphasis more on Strategic planning (as opposed to tactics... which is emphasized in soccer), this is a trade-off that ALL games make... either to the more or less.

I've played American Football with anywhere from 4 to 22 guys, wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt to the full outfit, I've played in the snow, rain, in sand, in mud, on the side of a hill(Big advantage to the guys going downhill), and in WATER. I've played american football with girls, guys, fat, skinny, fast, slow, old and young together, short and tall... you name it.

I believe american football is slightly better as a team sport for children, and I've played BOTH on organized equipped teams. As games compare, soccer emphasizes a "body type" of players... basically thin and fast kids (no matter what role you play... good soccer players tend to be thin and QUICK). The problem with this is that kids come in all shapes and sizes. My 11 year old playes soccer, he fits the archetype exactly... but my 6 year old is a stocky little guy... I'm betting he's going to pick football when the time comes. Football has a diversity of roles that allows kids of ALL body types to participate and feel like they're contributing to the whole.

I believe I know both sports fairly well, I've played football more than soccer, but I've played quite a bit of soccer also... how well do you know American football? Are you even qualified to have an opinion that's not just pure bias based? My point in "playing with the words" of your post was simply to show that the feelings people have about these games is essentially identical... the contributions these games make in their respective areas is identical. They both serve the exact same purpose, and debating their relative merit is like arguing that the Atlantic is better than the Pacific.

[ 09-10-2002, 09:23 AM: Message edited by: Thoran ]

[norompanlasolas]

Originally posted by Thoran: quote: Originally posted by norompanlasolas: in response to thoran... obviously you dont know the sport very well. of course, if you play with words you can even make the pope look agile or bush look intelligent, but that is not the case, is it? for example: - american football has really complex rules and is stopped all the time (no comparison with real football, which flows) - dont have to have a certain height, phsyique or stamina to play american football... yeah right... - dont need expensive garments to play it? come ooon!

Incorrect... American football rules CAN be complex or simple, depending on who's applying them... backyard football is a fairly straightforward game. Game stoppage puts the emphasis more on Strategic planning (as opposed to tactics... which is emphasized in soccer), this is a trade-off that ALL games make... either to the more or less.

I've played American Football with anywhere from 4 to 22 guys, wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt to the full outfit, I've played in the snow, rain, in sand, in mud, on the side of a hill(Big advantage to the guys going downhill), and in WATER. I've played american football with girls, guys, fat, skinny, fast, slow, old and young together, short and tall... you name it.

I believe american football is slightly better as a team sport for children, and I've played BOTH on organized equipped teams. As games compare, soccer emphasizes a "body type" of players... basically thin and fast kids (no matter what role you play... good soccer players tend to be thin and QUICK). The problem with this is that kids come in all shapes and sizes. My 11 year old playes soccer, he fits the archetype exactly... but my 6 year old is a stocky little guy... I'm betting he's going to pick football when the time comes. Football has a diversity of roles that allows kids of ALL body types to participate and feel like they're contributing to the whole.

I believe I know both sports fairly well, I've played football more than soccer, but I've played quite a bit of soccer also... how well do you know American football? Are you even qualified to have an opinion that's not just pure bias based? My point in "playing with the words" of your post was simply to show that the feelings people have about these games is essentially identical... the contributions these games make in their respective areas is identical. They both serve the exact same purpose, and debating their relative merit is like arguing that the Atlantic is better than the Pacific.[/QUOTE]first off, sorry for my comment of you not knowing the sport, cause thats pretty assuming (i was talking about football, btw). but i disagree with the fact that fast and thin players are the best... have you heard of a diego maradona? the best football player of all times, withouth discussion, and he was short and stocky. there are thousands of other examples, but football players come in an incredible variety of sizes and shapes. all american football players ive seen are robust, high, well muscled and pretty big overall. some maybe bigger than others, or faster, but they are all quite big. its like basketball, they are all pretty tall (there are a few exceptions, of course).

ive also played football virtually everywhere (and played it pro until i was 23 years old, in argentina and europe). and i have to say its pretty exciting going to another country, where you have nothing in common with a person, and suddenly there is a ball in the air, and you feel just like at home. there is something about it, that just isnt there in other sports.

but you may be right about the feeling for sports. i guess its a dead end discussion, because if it werent for the feelings they generate, and someone could be right based on objective arguments, they wouldnt be much fun, would they?